Light to moderate snow will continue into Saturday over the Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, and Northeast. This weekend into next week, a series of atmospheric rivers will bring gusty winds, periods of heavy rain, and mountain snow to northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Colder temperatures are in store for the weekend from the Great Lakes to East Coast. Read More >
Overview & Graphics
April 2018 was one of the coldest Aprils on record, ranging from about 7 to 10 degrees below normal across the area. Chicago had its 4th coldest April on record, while in Rockford it was the 2nd coldest April on record. For both cities, it was the coldest April in 111 years, since 1907. It was also much snowier than normal, with a record to near record number of days with measurable snowfall. The winter like temperatures also resulted in less rainfall than is typical for April, with below to well below normal precipitation observed.
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| April 2018 Temperatures and Precipitation vs. Normal | April 2018 Snowfall vs. Normal |
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| Coldest Aprils on Record in Chicago & Rockford | Driest Aprils in Rockford |
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| Record/Near Record # of Days With Lows of 32°F or Less | Record/Near Record # of Days With Highs of Less Than 40°F |
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| Near Record # of Days With Highs of Less than of 50°F in Rockford | Record/Near Record # of Days With Measurable Snowfall |
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| Remarkable Lack of Thunderstorms in Chicago |
Chicago and Rockford Monthly Summary
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Chicago IL 227 PM CDT Tue May 1 2018 /327 PM EDT Tue May 1 2018/ ...A Look Back at the Climate for the Month of April 2018 for Chicago and Rockford... At Chicago, the average high temperature was 50.0 degrees, which is 9.0 degrees below normal. The average low temperature was 32.4 degrees, which is 6.4 degrees below normal. The average temperature for the month was 41.2 degrees which is 7.7 degrees below normal. During the month of April, 2.72 inches of precipitation were recorded, which is 0.66 of an inch below normal. 3.2 inches of snow were recorded, which is 2.0 inches above normal. Two records were set for Chicago for the month of April 2018: * Record daily snowfall of 2 inches the 9th. * Record tying daily lowest minimum temperature of 31 degrees on the 29th (tied with 1958 and 2008). Top Ten Monthly Record: **4th coldest April on record since 1872 with 41.2 degrees. At Rockford, the average high temperature was 50.8 degrees, which is 9.9 degrees below normal. The average low temperature was 30.0 degrees, which is 8.1 degrees below normal. The average temperature for the month was 40.4 degrees which is 9.0 degrees below normal. During the month of April, 1.16 inches of precipitation were recorded, which is 2.19 inches below normal. 4.1 inches of snow were recorded, which is 3.2 inches above normal. There were 3 records for Rockford for the month of April 2018: * Record daily lowest minimum temperature of 18 degrees on the 2nd. * Record daily lowest minimum temperature of 24 degrees on the 20th. * Record tying daily lowest minimum temperature of 27 degrees on the 29th (tied with 1958). Two Top Ten Monthly Records: **2nd coldest April on record since 1905 with 40.4 degrees. **6th driest April on record since 1905 with 1.16 inches. $$ Castro
Monthly Climate Report: Chicago | Rockford
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